Phases of the Moon
by tromana
Summary: Ruby needed help and Belle was more than happy to step up to the plate.


**Title: **Phases of the Moon  
**Author: **tromana  
**Rating: **T  
**Characters: **Belle, Ruby, Rumpelstiltskin, Charming. Some peripheral Belle/Rumpelstiltskin.  
**Summary: **Ruby needed help and Belle was more than happy to step up to the plate.  
**Disclaimer: **Not mine  
**Spoilers: **Up to 2x04.  
**Notes: **Written for the wonderfully amazing branquignole. Sorry this is a little late!

**Phases of the Moon**

Belle practically skipped her way along the street. She wasn't on her way to see Rumpelstiltskin, no he had a lot of making up to do if he truly wanted her to forgive him. No, she was on her way to see Ruby instead. Granny had 'allowed' her to move out, on the basis that she lived next door, in order to give her some privacy. Her lips curled into a smile; it had been a week or so since she had last had a chance to see her and their friendship had really been blossoming lately. However, since taking on the library, Belle had been rushed off her feet and this had been her first opportunity to breathe.

It was relatively late though; the full moon was already beaming down on them, illuminating the dark streets where the street lights had failed. This didn't faze Belle; she had dealt with far, far worse in her time. She had seen into the depths of the darkest souls and tried to rescue people from the pits of despair. A little bit of literal darkness never hurt anybody.

She knocked smartly on the door three times, shoved her hands in her pockets and rolled back and forth on her heels as she waited. Belle didn't have to wait all that long. However, she didn't get an answer. Ruby didn't even bother to answer the door. Instead, she just shouted out from the other side.

"Go away!"

"Ruby? Are you okay?" Belle called back; a frown knitted its way between her brows.

"Belle, I don't want to hurt you."

"You're not going to hurt me," she answered soothingly. "Just let me in and we'll talk it over. Maybe over a hot cocoa?"

She heard some banging and crashing and her concern increased tenfold. Belle desperately wanted to do something to help Ruby, but Ruby was being as stubborn as feasibly possible. Quickly, she squared up the door and tried to figure out whether or not it was likely she would be able to break down the door. Then, she figured, if all else failed, she could go and get Charming. He was the acting Sheriff in Emma's absence, after all.

"If you don't answer this door, I'm going to knock it down," Belle shouted with more confidence than she actually felt after Ruby didn't answer for a good five minutes.

"It's the moon. The wolf thing," Ruby answered, her voice strained. "I can't, Belle. But there's one thing that'll help…"

"What? What is it, Ruby? I'll get it for you if you just tell me!"

Ruby didn't answer and after ten minutes of standing outside in the freezing cold, Belle realized she wasn't going to get an answer. After a couple of minutes of deliberation, she figured her library was the next best stop. It was too late to disturb Henry, even if his grandfather wasn't off-limits. But her library, even considering the years of neglect, was surprisingly well-stocked and she didn't doubt that she could find the information she needed there.

Her heart skipped a beat, much like it always did, when she unlocked the main doors to the library. She walked straight past the front desk, straight past geography, history and adult literature and to the kids' section. It was well established that in this world, their real lives, their pasts, were considered to be fictional, children's stories. And where better to look for the truth than amongst the fairytales used to thrill the younger generation?

She allowed her fingertips to run across the spines of the various books. There was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves; clearly Snow and Charming's story. Sleeping Beauty, Hua Mulan, Rapunzel, Pinocchio and even Beauty and the Beast, which she stared at with more than a little distaste, were all there. She was half tempted to just throw the lot of them out when her eyes fell onto Little Red Riding Hood. Ruby, red, the connection was there. It made sense. With a little trepidation, she slid the book off the shelf and began to devour it.

In her realm, she had heard rumors of the deadly wolf that had killed many a good man. But she hadn't heard of a charm or protection against it. Of course, magic could do anything, within reason. It couldn't bring back the dead. But, it seemed, in this childish story, that a specific red cape could protect somebody from the wolf. Was it entirely possible that the object, the thing, Ruby was after was the cape itself? Was it possible that her story was both that of Red Riding Hood _and_ the wolf?

Her heart sank when she realized there was only one person in the whole of Storybrooke likely to own such an object: Rumpelstiltskin. Belle knew that he owned all manner of objects which had made the leap from the Enchanted Forest to this world. And virtually all of them – except for the very few objects which were in the care of Regina – were in Rumpelstiltskin's shop. She knew that he also held a surprisingly wide array of clothes and she swore she could remember him owning a red cape, though she hadn't tried it on specifically. With a sigh, she locked up the library; it was too late for visitors anyway, and headed straight to his shop. She knew that he would still be up; Rumpelstiltskin barely slept. He had this irrational need to be able to see everything, to hear everything that was going on. There was no way he would ever consider wasting precious time on something as mundane as _sleep_.

The bell tinkled as she opened the door. She took a few steps in and held her breath. Belle had wanted to maintain a healthy distance between herself and Rumpelstiltskin while he figured out what was more important to him: her or magic. It didn't take long for her to hear the sound of familiar footsteps, and the click of his cane against the wooden floor. When his eyes laid on her, his whole face lit up and he smiled. He caught hold of her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. Belle pulled it back away from him abruptly and only then did it falter.

"I'm not here for that, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Oh," he answered, clearly disappointed.

She glanced over her shoulder and outside. The sooner she could get back to Ruby, the better. Ruby needed her and she didn't have time to waste on Rumpelstiltskin. Maybe, if he had proven what he truly wanted to her, then things would be different. For now, all she was worried about was her friend.

"I'm looking for an object. A cape, specifically," she answered.

"A red one, by any chance?" he asked coyly.

"Yes. I think – I know - you have it."

Silently, he withdrew from the room and left her waiting. It seemed like all she was able to do today was wait for other people to come to her beck and call. Eventually, he returned with the beautiful hooded red cape in his hands. He placed it on top of the counter and Belle carefully ran her fingertips over it. She could almost feel the magic crackling from within it. If this didn't help Ruby, then nothing would.

"I want it," she stated plainly.

"It'll cost you."

She had expected those words. When it came to Rumpelstiltskin, nothing came without a catch. It was just the way he was built. And Belle already had her suspicions about what his terms and conditions were going to be.

"You spend one night with me. We'll go to Granny's, have that cheeseburger you wanted to try. And talk."

"Okay. I agree, Rumpelstiltskin."

"The deal has been struck," he answered and his bright smile returned. "Take care, Dearie. And remember to send Ruby my love."

She didn't honor him with a response. Instead, she swept the cape up off the counter and rushed straight to Charming's home. Part of her already suspected that she'd need his assistance in order to get to Ruby. By the sounds of it, she didn't think Ruby was in any fit state to come to the door. And it was only getting later and later, which, she figured, only meant worse things for Ruby. Charming, unlike Rumpelstiltskin, was quicker on the uptake. After ensuring his grandson was definitely asleep, he carefully locked the door and together, they headed to Ruby's place.

Belle watched cautiously as Charming knocked the door down. Tentatively, he took the lead and she followed suit. He insisted that he went first, in order to protect her. After all, he was the one who was armed with a gun. But Belle knew he wouldn't use it; he couldn't somebody like Ruby. He just wasn't that ruthless. In the end, Belle found Ruby tied up in her bedroom, unconscious. She hadn't fully converted into a wolf, but she certainly had more of a wolfish look about her than usual. Charming watched as Belle carefully used the cloak to cover up Ruby.

"I'm going now. I have to get back to Henry," Charming said quietly when it was clear that Ruby wasn't regaining consciousness, nor was she of any danger to anybody.

"Thank you," Belle answered quietly.

"Call me if you need anything. And I'll get the door fixed in the morning."

In the morning, Ruby woke with a start, waking up Belle in the process. She practically jumped out of her skin, but had enough common sense to recompose herself and slide the cape off of Ruby's face. Ruby seemed embarrassed by the fuss she was causing, and in the morning light, she looked much more like her usual self. Belle smiled warmly at her as she silently helped Ruby untie the bonds that held her to the bed.

"You got me my cape," Ruby eventually spoke once she was sitting upright on the end of her bed. "What do I owe you?"

"Nothing," Belle confirmed hastily. "Nothing at all."

"But Rumpelstiltskin had it, didn't he?"

"That's our business, don't worry about it."

Ruby sighed and Belle could tell she didn't like the idea of being indebted to her. However, Ruby had already saved her, when she'd been down in the tunnels. If she had crossed the town's borderline, she wouldn't have remembered who she truly was anymore. She wouldn't have been able to do this, either. As far as she was concerned, this was payment in kind.

"It's got worse," Ruby said quietly. "Since magic came back. First it was just the sense of smell, but now… I might go all wolf on somebody."

"But the cape will protect you, right?"

"Right," Ruby confirmed with a heavy sigh. "But I don't want to be _seen_ like that."

"Come stay at the library with me. Nobody else is there. We can share pizza and wine and… just talk."

"Belle…"

"I insist," she declared as she rose to her feet. "I'm not scared of you like that, Ruby."

"But I become a monster," Ruby answered, almost horrified.

"I've dealt with worse monsters in my time. Come on, let's get some breakfast."

She dragged Ruby to her feet and together, they headed towards Granny's. Belle wasn't going to take no for an answer, and she wasn't going to let Ruby go through this on her own anymore. If she was good at one thing, then Belle was good at sticking with people during their roughest patches. As far as she was concerned, dealing with Ruby during the full moon was going to be a breeze. After all, they had the cape, and they had each other. That was always going to be enough.


End file.
